Officers Were Drunk During Eagle Bar Raid

A year and a half ago a gay bar was raided in Atlanta, Georgia. A few license violations were turned up after patrons were forced to lie on the ground for several hours while epithets were uttered by officers. When nothing really illegal was found, the patrons' cell phones were confiscated and background checks were run on them to try to find some justification for the raid.

Three undercover officers were already in the Atlanta Eagle bar before the Sept. 10, 2009, raid started. At least two of them were drinking heavily, according to the bartender and the receipts they filed for the costs of their drinks.

According to information gathered in the now-settled lawsuit, officer Bennie Bridges spent $60 of APD funds on May 21, 2009, and another $50 the night of the raid on Sept. 10, 2009. A second officer working undercover that evening, Jared Watkins, claimed $60 for drinks the night of the raid. The third officer inside the Eagle bar before the raid claimed he spent $10.

According to records for those who were in the bar undercover on May 21, 2009, five officers, one of them a woman, each claimed they spent $5. Three others reported spending $10, $20 and $29. That was the night Bridges, the lead investigator, spent $60, according to information gathered to settle a federal lawsuit for $1.025 million and legal costs.

And they would have gotten away with it if they didn't try to get reimbursed for the booze money.

Of course, these officers won't be appearing in any "dumb criminals" show any time soon, even though that's just what they are (if they were undercover and trying to fit in, they could have just ordered a coke). But this is clearly why the police shouldn't be implicitly trusted when someone accuses them of wrong-doing.

Leave a comment

We want to know your opinion on this issue! While arguing about an opinion or idea is encouraged, personal attacks will not be tolerated. Please be respectful of others.

The editorial team will delete a comment that is off-topic, abusive, exceptionally incoherent, includes a slur or is soliciting and/or advertising. Repeated violations of the policy will result in revocation of your user account. Please keep in mind that this is our online home; ill-mannered house guests will be shown the door.